Cathay's Tony Tyler explains that when airlines last raised fares in 2008, most travelers kept right on flying. But as Mideast upheavals send oil prices skyward and airlines hike fares again to compensate, the impact on the industry's bottom line could be quite different.

How hard can it be to get a really good chicken walnut sandwich at Denver International Airport? Depending on when you land, a lot harder than you'd guess. And it's not just Denver: The problem of airport restaurants that are closed when passengers are still arriving is irritatingly widespread.

Of all the industries that have achieved record profits recently, none have posted more remarkable results than the airline industry. For the first time in a decade, the industry is on a glide path to profitability -- but it's getting there by squeezing its customers.

A scant few U.S. carriers took home honors from this year's "Best of Business Travel" awards from Business Traveler magazine. The apparent malaise affecting U.S. airlines may go beyond the current economic downturn to something more fundamental.

Considering how often airline industry executives complain about how hard it is to run a profitable carrier, one might expect their efforts could go unrewarded -- at least monetarily. Not so at the new United Continental Holdings, where big post-merger raises are coming for top management.

Continental Airlines (CAL) and UAL Corp (UAUA), owner of United, closed their merger deal Friday, creating the world%u2019s largest air carrier, called United Airlines.
The new holding company, United Continental Holdings, will begin trading today on the New York Stock Exchange, Reuters said.

Don't believe the fairy tales United and Continental are spinning about their proposed merger being beneficial to travelers and carriers alike: Beyond the deal to bring Southwest to Newark Airport that they cut placate the antitrust watchdogs, this merger is all bad news.

Shareholders of United%u2019s parent company UAL Corp (UAUA). and Continental Airlines (CAL) will vote today on a merger deal that would create the world%u2019s biggest airline.
Results of the votes are expected later today, The Associated Press reported.

It's every business traveler's dream never to fly coach again. Nicholas Kralev's On the Fly seminar promises to make that dream a reality. In four short hours, he says he'll teach attendees how to maximize the power of their frequent flyer miles to fly in luxury on a coach-class budget.

The United-Continental megamerger raises many serious questions, not the least of which is how air passengers will be affected. The answer is simple: For the average flier, the combination will create pretty much nothing but more pain, in terms of both costs and inconvenience.

Worried that the merger of Continental and United Airlines will mean higher fares? That's not part of the plan, said Continental CEO Jeff Smisek. The post-merger airline is expected to add $1 billion or so to the bottom line over three years, but it plans to get there mostly by cutting costs.

Mergers, near-mergers, paralyzing winter storms, volcanic ash and new rules about the treatment of passengers could all add up to a difficult second quarter for the U.S. aviation industry. As the industry awaits Continental and United Airlines merger news Monday, insiders wonder what's next.

A report that United Airlines and U.S. Airways were in merger talks set off a flurry of trading. Just the hint of more consolidation in the overcrowded airline industry, with its high operations costs and notoriously low profit margins, was enough for traders to pounce at the opportunity to get ahead of a move they hope will lead to higher ticket prices and lower overall operating costs industrywide.

US Airways and United Airlines are discussing a possible merger, according to The New York Times's DealBook. Investors are flying high, driving up both airlines' shares. But will complicated pilot contracts create turbulence?

Continental is joining most other airlines in eliminating its free meals on shorter flights. Now, along with your turkey sandwich, you could be paying extra for baggage, early boarding, more legroom, and even a pillow and blanket.